Two complaints filed against Rahul Gandhi for ISI statement

Two complaint cases were filed against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the Kanpur chief metropolitan magistrate's court on Saturday for his remarks that ISI had contacted Muslim youths after Muzaffarnagar communal riots.

Samajwadi Party leader Farhan Lari, while alleging that Rahul had hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community, has lodged the complaint before the CMM Prafulla Kamal.

The case has been listed for recording of applicant's statement on November 12. Any further proceedings may be initiated after the statement is recorded.

Another case has been lodged by traders' leader Gyanesh Tewari and social worker Mohammad Islamuddin in the same court. The duo too have maintained that the statement has posed serious threat to the country's integrity.

"Rahul's claim may lead to enmity between two communities so the court should award severe punishment to set it as an example for others," said Tewari while confirming that the court has admitted the case and listed it for hearing on October 30.

In a related development, a Kanpur-based advocate Yogendra Diwedi has moved an RTI plea to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) seeking details of an IB report on the basis of which IB men had briefed Rahul on ISI's alleged initiative to contact the Muzaffarnagar riot-victims.

Addressing a rally in Indore, Rahul had said an intelligence official had told him that Pakistan's spy agency ISI had contacted 10 to 15 youths whose family members had been killed during the riots and offered them help.

The Congress vice-president was criticised for the remarks by riot victims and Muslim clerics, who believe the comments would put a question mark over the integrity of the community.

In a scathing attack, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday asked Rahul to name the youth who had met the ISI officials or apologise to the nation.